Repairs 618 Blew Engine--Replace???

[kayne.hagedorn]

I bought a used 618 grasshopper with 660 hrs on it. It seemed like a good deal and used it twice and the engine blew. I had a TH18S Series engine. I have done some research and figured out that these are not a good engine. A local repair shop will put the 20 HP repower kit on it. Hopefully should have everything swapped over for like $2500.00 worst case. I didn't know if I should continue, or just don't want to put this additional money to figure out that the hydros will go out or something. Just looking for advice. Prior to the engine blowing it would struggle to go up hill. It would bog down and act as if it wasn't going to make it. Also starting from a complete stop on even ground it would bog down as well. Now, do you think this could be from the engine being really weak or do you think there may be a hydro issue? Thanks for any advice. This is my first grasshopper and just want a decent mower to mow my own lawn--not commercially.

Thanks!

 

[ILENGINE]

Now when you say bog down, Do you mean the engine would try to stall, or the machine would just quit moving and didn't effect the engine rpm's. do the hydro's have a growling type whine when running normally. Some whine is normal at take off and stop. Or is the drive belt for the hydros slipping causing a loss of speed.

 

[kayne.hagedorn]

The engine would bog down to where if I didn't slow down it would almost shut off. There is a whine in the hydros when I am turning or changing directions, and a slight whine when I am driving. They were going to check the hydro belt if I put the new engine on.

 

[ILENGINE]

Sounds like the hydros are fine. Some hydraulic whine is normal during operation. Just not the metallic growling type noises. The Triad engine was a good engine until it wasn't. Meaning some people got 50 hours out of them before failure, others got over 900 hours before failure.

 

[kayne.hagedorn]

Thank your for your info. The one stick does go farther forward than the other and what not. Is that linkage in the controls? Nothing to do with the hydro? When they change the hydro oil, should I cut the filter open to see if there is any shavings ext? Or does that help indicate anything?

 

[ILENGINE]

If it is just one lever in front of the other, but tracks straight, then that is most likely just an adjustment to the lever itself were it connects to the control. Some debris may be normal in the filter, but if you find a fairly large amount which isn't much it would be already too late.

If it doesn't track straight then that would require adjustments to the linkages. I would say they will take care of most of that when the replace the engine.